The present invention relates to a novel salt form of the active compound pantoprazole. The novel salt form can be employed in the pharmaceutical industry for the preparation of medicaments.
Pyridin-2-ylmethylsulfinyl-1H-benzimidazoles, such as are disclosed, for example, in EP-A-0005129, EP-A-0166287, EP-A-0174726 and EP-A-0268956, have, on account of their H+/K+ ATPase-inhibiting action, considerable importance in the therapy of diseases which are due to increased gastric acid secretion. Examples of commercially available active compounds from this group are 5-methoxy-2-[(4-methoxy-3,5-dimethyl-2-pyridinyl)methylsulfinyl]-1H-benzimidazole (INN: omeprazole), 5-difluoromethoxy-2-[(3,4-dimethoxy-2-pyridinyl)methylsulfinyl]-1H-benzimidazole (INN: pantoprazole), 2-[3-methyl-4-(2,2,2-trifluoroethoxy)-2-pyridinyl)methylsulfinyl]-1H-benzimidazole (INN: lansoprazole) and 2-{[4-(3-methoxypropoxy)-3-methylpyridin-2-yl]methylsulfinyl}-1H-benzimidazole (INN: rabeprazole).
A common property of the above-mentioned pyridin-2-ylmethylsulfinyl-1H-benzimidazoles is the acid sensitivityxe2x80x94which is in the end indispensable for their efficacyxe2x80x94of these active compounds, which is seen in their strong tendency to decompose in a neutral and, in particular, acidic environment, strongly colored decomposition products being formed.
In the past, there have been considerable efforts, despite the acid sensitivity of the pyridin-2-ylmethylsulfinyl-1H-benzimidazoles, to obtain stable and storable oral administration forms which contain these pyridin-2-ylmethylsulfinyl-1H-benzimidazoles. Such stable and storable oral administration forms (e.g. tablets or capsules) are now obtainable. The preparation of these oral administration forms, however, is comparatively complicated and also certain precautions must be taken with respect to the packaging, in order that the administration forms have an adequate storage stability even under extreme storage conditions (e.g. in the tropics at high temperature and high atmospheric humidity).
The International Patent Application WO97/41114 describes a specific process for the preparation of magnesium salts of pyridin-2-ylmethylsulfinyl-1H-benzimidazoles. Inter alia, the preparation of the magnesium salt of pantoprazole is also described by way of example. According to the analysis data indicated, the salt prepared is pantoprazole magnesium in anhydrous form.
It has now been found that the dihydrate of the magnesium salt of pantoprazole has very surprising stability properties which make it appear to be particularly suitable for use in solid or oral administration forms. It exhibits very considerably improved stability properties both in comparison with pantoprazole itself and in comparison to pantoprazole sodium sesquihydrate (the active compound form on the market since 1994, European Patent 0 589 981), or in comparison to pantoprazole sodium monohydrate (the intermediate form used in the industrial preparations, European Patent 0 533 790).
Thus pantoprazole magnesium dihydrate is completely stable for 4 days at 90xc2x0 C. and exhibits almost no discoloration or decomposition, while pantoprazole sodium sesquihydrate and mondhydrate turn brown-red in the same period with Formation of considerable amounts of decomposition products.
The invention thus relates to the dehydrate of the magnesium salt of pantoprazole (pantoprazole magnesium dihydrate).
Pantoprazole magnesium dihydrate can be employed for the treatment and prevention of all the diseases which are considered to be treatable or avoidable by the use of pyridin-2-ylmethylsulfinyl-1H-benzimidazoles. In particular, pantoprazole magnesium dihydrate can be employed in the treatment of disorders of the stomach.
On account of its solubility properties, possibilities of application for pantoprazole magnesium dihydrate are conceivable for whose realization resort had to be made up to now to particular pharmaceutical preparations. Thus use of pantoprazole magnesium dihydrate is particularly suitable, inter alia, where the active compound is to be released and absorbed over a relatively long period (see, for example, European Patent Application 0 841 903). By means of a combination of the magnesium salt of pantoprazole with the sodium salt, a solution made to order for certain desired active compound blood level courses can be achieved.
The pantoprazole magnesium dehydrate is prepared in a manner known per se by reaction of pantoprazole or a readily soluble pantoprazole salt (e.g. pantoprazole sodium) with a magnesium salt in water or in mixtures of water with polar organic solvents (e.g. alcohols, preferably ethanol or isopropanol, or ketones, for example acetone or butanone).
Suitable magnesium salts which can be employed according to the process are, for example, magnesium chloride, bromide, fluoride, iodide, formate, acetate, propionate, sulfate, gluconate or carbonate. Alkoxides of magnesium (e.g. magnesium methoxide, ethoxide, (iso)propoxide, butoxide, hexoxide or phenoxide), or magnesium hydroxide can also be reacted with pantoprazole or pantoprazole sodium in aqueous medium.